2015 NFL Draft Big Board: Post-Combine Update
The 2015 Scouting Combine has come and gone, and now more than ever the draft process gets into full swing.
When I was coming up as an evaluator, I was taught by former NFL GM Charley Casserly to never let the combine completely change your board. The idea, he told me, was to let the combine separate players with a similar grade at a position (like Kevin White and Amari Cooper) and to confirm what you saw on film. And if a player like Byron Jones or Chris Conley wows you before you've had a chance to do a film evaluation, you highlight them when you get home and start watching film again.
So that's what I do. As much as is possible, I try to mirror my process after what Casserly, former NFL GM Michael Lombardi and others taught me.
NFL teams are doing the same thing this week—revisiting scouting grades and updating reports with medical, interview and workout notes. The result for them, and me, is a new big board.
You'll notice new position classifications this week on defense. I've long toyed with a good way to differentiate players between 4-3 and 3-4 schemes, and the best usage I've seen from other draft analysts is to now break them down by "edge-rusher" (4-3 defensive end, 3-4 outside linebacker) and defensive linemen. It may be confusing at first, but just remember that edge players are outside defenders and defensive linemen can play in either a 4-3 or 3-4.
Top 50 Players
1 of 15
| Rank | Player | Pos. | Pos. Rank | School | Class | HT | WT |
| 1 | Jameis Winston | QB | 1 | Florida State | rSo | 6'4" | 231 |
| 2 | Leonard Williams | DL | 1 | USC | Jr | 6'5" | 302 |
| 3 | Marcus Mariota | QB | 2 | Oregon | rJr | 6'4" | 222 |
| 4 | Kevin White | WR | 1 | West Virginia | Sr | 6'4" | 215 |
| 5 | Dante Fowler Jr. | EDGE | 1 | Florida | Jr | 6'3" | 261 |
| 6 | Randy Gregory | EDGE | 2 | Nebraska | rJr | 6'5" | 235 |
| 7 | Amari Cooper | WR | 2 | Alabama | Jr | 6'1" | 211 |
| 8 | Brandon Scherff | G | 1 | Iowa | rSr | 6'5" | 319 |
| 9 | DeVante Parker | WR | 3 | Louisville | Sr | 6'3" | 209 |
| 10 | Danny Shelton | DL | 2 | Washington | Sr | 6'2" | 339 |
| 11 | Shane Ray | EDGE | 3 | Missouri | rJr | 6'3" | 245 |
| 12 | Marcus Peters | CB | 1 | Washington | Jr | 6'0" | 197 |
| 13 | Todd Gurley | RB | 1 | Georgia | Jr | 6'1" | 222 |
| 14 | Malcom Brown | DL | 3 | Texas | Jr | 6'2" | 319 |
| 15 | Landon Collins | SS | 1 | Alabama | Jr | 6'0" | 228 |
| 16 | Shaq Thompson | LB | 1 | Washington | Jr | 6'0" | 228 |
| 17 | Arik Armstead | DL | 4 | Oregon | Jr | 6'7" | 292 |
| 18 | La'el Collins | T | 1 | LSU | Sr | 6'4" | 305 |
| 19 | Alvin Dupree | EDGE | 4 | Kentucky | rSr | 6'4" | 269 |
| 20 | Jaelen Strong | WR | 4 | Arizona State | rJr | 6'2" | 217 |
| 21 | Vic Beasley | EDGE | 5 | Clemson | rSr | 6'3" | 246 |
| 22 | Cedric Ogbuehi | T | 2 | Texas A&M | rSr | 6'5" | 306 |
| 23 | D.J. Humphries | T | 3 | Florida | Jr | 6'5" | 307 |
| 24 | Eli Harold | EDGE | 6 | Virginia | Jr | 6'3" | 247 |
| 25 | Jalen Collins | CB | 2 | LSU | rJr | 6'1" | 203 |
| 26 | Ronald Darby | CB | 3 | Florida State | Jr | 5'11" | 193 |
| 27 | Duke Johnson | RB | 2 | Miami (Fla.) | Jr | 5'9" | 207 |
| 28 | Maxx Williams | TE | 1 | Minnesota | rSo | 6'4" | 249 |
| 29 | Trae Waynes | CB | 4 | Michigan State | rJr | 6'0" | 186 |
| 30 | Eddie Goldman | DL | 4 | Florida State | Jr | 6'4" | 336 |
| 31 | Benardrick McKinney | LB | 2 | Miss. State | rJr | 6'4" | 246 |
| 32 | Devin Funchess | WR | 5 | Michigan | Jr | 6'4" | 232 |
| 33 | Owa Odighizuwa | EDGE | 7 | UCLA | rSr | 6'3" | 267 |
| 34 | Jake Fisher | T | 4 | Oregon | Sr | 6'6" | 306 |
| 35 | P.J. Williams | CB | 5 | Florida State | Jr | 6'0" | 194 |
| 36 | Eric Kendricks | LB | 3 | UCLA | rSr | 6'0" | 232 |
| 37 | Melvin Gordon | RB | 3 | Wisconsin | rJr | 6'1" | 215 |
| 38 | Andrus Peat | T | 5 | Stanford | Jr | 6'7" | 313 |
| 39 | T.J. Clemmings | T | 6 | Pitt | rSr | 6'5" | 309 |
| 40 | Dorial Green-Beckham | WR | 6 | Missouri | Jr | 6'5" | 237 |
| 41 | Paul Dawson | OLB | 3 | TCU | Sr | 6'0" | 235 |
| 42 | Devin Smith | WR | 7 | Ohio State | Sr | 6'0" | 196 |
| 43 | Gerod Holliman | FS | 1 | Louisville | rSo | 6'0" | 218 |
| 44 | Cameron Erving | C | 1 | Florida State | rSr | 6'5" | 313 |
| 45 | Ereck Flowers | T | 7 | Miami (Fla.) | Jr | 6'6" | 329 |
| 46 | Danielle Hunter | EDGE | 8 | LSU | Jr | 6'5" | 252 |
| 47 | T.J. Yeldon | RB | 4 | Alabama | Jr | 6'1" | 226 |
| 48 | Denzel Perryman | ILB | 3 | Miami (Fla.) | Sr | 5'11" | 236 |
| 49 | Nelson Agholor | WR | 8 | USC | rJr | 6'0" | 198 |
| 50 | Phillip Dorsett | WR | 9 | Miami (Fla.) | Jr | 5'10" | 185 |
Quarterbacks
2 of 15
It's Jameis Winston, Marcus Mariota and then, way down the list, everyone else. And the combine did nothing to change that.
Winston did everything you want of a No. 1 pick on and off the field in Indianapolis. If he's not the pick by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, it'll be a draft-day surprise. Mariota was also very good—dominating agility drills and showing comfortable feet when working through three-, five- and seven-step drops in drills. The showings of the top two only served to widen the gap between themselves and the rest of the pack.
| Rank | Player | School | HT | WT | Class | OVR Rank |
| 1 | Jameis Winston | Florida State | 6'4" | 232 | rSo | 1 |
| 2 | Marcus Mariota | Oregon | 6'4" | 215 | rJr | 3 |
| 3 | Brett Hundley | UCLA | 6'3" | 227 | rJr | 70 |
| 4 | Bryce Petty | Baylor | 6'3" | 230 | rSr | 99 |
| 5 | Garrett Grayson | Colorado State | 6'2" | 220 | rSr | 141 |
| 6 | Brandon Bridge | South Alabama | 6'5" | 235 | rSr | 189 |
| 7 | Sean Mannion | Oregon State | 6'5" | 220 | rSr | 210 |
| 8 | Cody Fajardo | Nevada | 6'2" | 215 | rSr | 216 |
| 9 | Shane Carden | East Carolina | 6'2" | 221 | Sr | 233 |
| 10 | Connor Halliday | Washington State | 6'4" | 201 | Sr | 243 |
| 11 | Blake Sims | Alabama | 6'0" | 208 | rSr | 250 |
| 12 | Bryan Bennett | SE Louisiana | 6'2" | 215 | rSr | 255 |
| 13 | Jerry Lovelocke | Prairie View A&M | 6'5" | 200 | Sr | 278 |
Running Backs
3 of 15
The 2015 running back class didn't wow folks looking for record-breaking times at the combine, but this is still one loaded group and features a handful of talents ready to start in their first season.
The best back of them all—Todd Gurley—may not be ready for Week 1 after suffering an ACL injury against Auburn, but he's good enough to roll the dice on in the late first round if there's a chance he's back to normal any time in 2015.
Outside of Gurley, don't be surprised to see Melvin Gordon jump Duke Johnson on draft day and be the No. 2 back drafted. Teams will fall in love with his production, and he could easily slide into the late first round with Gurley.
| Rank | Player | School | HT | WT | Class | OVR Rank |
| 1 | Todd Gurley | Georgia | 6'1" | 222 | Jr | 13 |
| 2 | Duke Johnson | Miami (Fla.) | 5'9" | 207 | Jr | 27 |
| 3 | Melvin Gordon | Wisconsin | 6'1" | 215 | rJr | 37 |
| 4 | T.J. Yeldon | Alabama | 6'1" | 226 | Jr | 47 |
| 5 | Tevin Coleman | Indiana | 5'11" | 206 | Jr | 54 |
| 6 | Ameer Abdullah | Nebraska | 5'9" | 205 | Sr | 60 |
| 7 | Jay Ajayi | Boise State | 6'0" | 221 | rJr | 61 |
| 8 | David Cobb | Minnesota | 5'11" | 229 | Sr | 71 |
| 9 | Mike Davis | South Carolina | 5'9" | 217 | Jr | 91 |
| 10 | David Johnson | Northern Iowa | 6'1" | 224 | rSr | 122 |
| 11 | Javorius Allen | USC | 6'0" | 221 | rJr | 127 |
| 12 | Josh Robinson | Miss. State | 5'8" | 217 | Jr | 153 |
| 13 | Cameron Artis-Payne | Auburn | 5'10" | 212 | Sr | 158 |
| 14 | Jeremy Langford | Michigan State | 6'0" | 204 | rSr | 164 |
| 15 | Malcolm Brown | Texas | 5'11" | 224 | Sr | 169 |
| 16 | Matt Jones | Florida | 6'2" | 231 | Jr | 188 |
| 17 | Dominique Brown | Louisville | 6'2" | 234 | rSr | 208 |
| 18 | Dee Hart | Colorado State | 5'7" | 199 | Jr | 227 |
| 19 | Karlos Williams | Florida State | 6'1" | 230 | Sr | 229 |
| 20 | Trey Williams | Texas A&M | 5'7" | 195 | Jr | 240 |
| 21 | Terrence Magee | LSU | 5'8" | 213 | Sr | 244 |
| 22 | Jahwan Edwards | Ball State | 5'9" | 220 | Sr | 245 |
| 23 | Kenny Hilliard | LSU | 6'0" | 226 | Sr | 256 |
| 24 | Marcus Murphy | Missouri | 5'8" | 193 | rSr | 272 |
| 25 | John Crockett | North Dakota St. | 6'0" | 217 | Sr | 282 |
Fullbacks
4 of 15
The fullback position hasn't quite made a comeback in the NFL, but we are seeing versatile weapons used more and more in the pros. If you can offer value and versatility, you'll have a place in the league. That's the key for this group of fullbacks, as those who are equal parts blocker, runner and receiver perfectly fit new NFL offenses.
| Rank | Player | School | HT | WT | Class | OVR Rank |
| 1 | Jalston Fowler | Alabama | 5'11" | 254 | rSr | 184 |
| 2 | Connor Neighbors | LSU | 5'11" | 230 | rSr | 221 |
| 3 | Michael Burton | Rutgers | 6'0" | 230 | rSr | 247 |
| 4 | Tyler Varga | Yale | 5'11" | 222 | Sr | 260 |
| 5 | Joey Iosefa | Hawaii | 6'0" | 247 | Sr | 265 |
Wide Receivers
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The scouting combine did little to change the top of the order at wide receiver, but it did put things into perspective for this group—it's a talented, big, fast year at wide receiver.
Kevin White, Amari Cooper and DeVante Parker should all be drafted in the top 11 picks, and if you are willing to put your name on the line for Dorial Green-Beckham's off-field issues, he's definitely talented enough to be a top-15 pick. If a team is willing to go that far remains to be seen.
| Rank | Player | School | HT | WT | Class | OVR Rank |
| 1 | Kevin White | West Virginia | 6'3" | 215 | Sr | 4 |
| 2 | Amari Cooper | Alabama | 6'1" | 211 | Jr | 7 |
| 3 | DeVante Parker | Louisville | 6'3" | 209 | Sr | 9 |
| 4 | Jaelen Strong | Arizona State | 6'2" | 217 | rJr | 20 |
| 5 | Devin Funchess | Michigan | 6'4" | 232 | Jr | 32 |
| 6 | Dorial Green-Beckham | Missouri | 6'5" | 237 | Jr | 40 |
| 7 | Devin Smith | Ohio State | 6'0" | 196 | Sr | 42 |
| 8 | Nelson Agholor | USC | 6'0" | 198 | Jr | 49 |
| 9 | Phillip Dorsett | Miami (Fla.) | 5'10" | 185 | Sr | 50 |
| 10 | Breshad Perriman | Central Florida | 6'2" | 212 | rJr | 57 |
| 11 | Justin Hardy | East Carolina | 5'10" | 192 | Sr | 83 |
| 12 | Sammie Coates | Auburn | 6'1" | 212 | rJr | 89 |
| 13 | Tyler Lockett | Kansas State | 5'10" | 182 | Sr | 94 |
| 14 | Rashad Greene | Florida State | 5'11" | 182 | Sr | 98 |
| 15 | Tre McBride | William & Mary | 6'2" | 205 | Sr | 100 |
| 16 | Josh Harper | Fresno State | 6'1" | 191 | rSr | 104 |
| 17 | Jamison Crowder | Duke | 5'8" | 185 | Sr | 109 |
| 18 | Antwan Goodley | Baylor | 5'10" | 209 | rSr | 137 |
| 19 | Tony Lippett | Michigan State | 6'2" | 192 | rSr | 139 |
| 20 | Chris Conley | Georgia | 6'3" | 205 | Sr | 143 |
| 21 | Dres Anderson | Utah | 6'1" | 187 | Sr | 147 |
| 22 | DaVaris Daniels | Notre Dame | 6'1" | 201 | rJr | 155 |
| 23 | Devante Davis | UNLV | 6'3" | 220 | Sr | 165 |
| 24 | Vince Mayle | Washington State | 6'3" | 224 | rSr | 166 |
| 25 | Stefon Diggs | Maryland | 6'0" | 195 | Jr | 168 |
| 26 | Kenny Bell | Nebraska | 6'1" | 197 | rSr | 174 |
| 27 | Ty Montgomery | Stanford | 6'0" | 221 | Sr | 175 |
| 28 | Dezmin Lewis | Central Arkansas | 6'4" | 214 | rSr | 183 |
| 29 | Titus Davis | Central Michigan | 6'1" | 196 | Sr | 192 |
| 30 | Rannell Hall | UCF | 6'0" | 198 | Sr | 196 |
| 31 | Cam Worthy | East Carolina | 6'2" | 211 | rSr | 201 |
| 32 | Deon Long | Maryland | 6'0" | 192 | rSr | 202 |
| 33 | Christion Jones | Alabama | 5'10" | 182 | Sr | 234 |
| 34 | Da'Ron Brown | Northern Illinois | 6'0" | 205 | Sr | 249 |
| 35 | Chris Harper | California | 5'11" | 175 | Jr | 251 |
| 36 | George Farmer | USC | 6'1" | 220 | rJr | 252 |
| 37 | Darren Waller | Georgia Tech | 6'6" | 238 | Sr | 253 |
| 38 | Deontay Greenberry | Houston | 6'3" | 200 | Jr | 254 |
| 39 | DeAndre Smelter | Georgia Tech | 6'2" | 226 | Sr | 261 |
| 40 | Austin Hill | Arizona | 6'2" | 210 | rSr | 262 |
| 41 | Mario Alford | West Virginia | 5'8" | 170 | rSr | 281 |
| 42 | Keith Mumphery | Michigan State | 6'0" | 215 | Sr | 287 |
| 43 | DeAndrew White | Alabama | 5'11" | 193 | Sr | 289 |
| 44 | Donatella Luckett | Harding | 6'0" | 211 | rSr | 300 |
Tight Ends
6 of 15
Just one tight end ranks inside my top two rounds, but the lack of top-end talent doesn't take away from what is a very deep group at tight end.
Maxx Williams might not be blue-chip caliber, but he's well worth a first-round pick and has huge potential to develop more down the line. Clive Walford and Blake Bell are athletic movers with nice upside and fit more of a flex tight end system. The sleepers here might be Jeff Heuerman and Tyler Kroft. Both have good overall skill sets, but in the case of Heuerman, he just wasn't used enough this year.
| Rank | Player | School | HT | WT | Class | OVR Rank |
| 1 | Maxx Williams | Minnesota | 6'4" | 249 | rSo | 28 |
| 2 | Clive Walford | Miami (FL) | 6'4" | 251 | rSr | 84 |
| 3 | Blake Bell | Oklahoma | 6'6" | 252 | rSr | 101 |
| 4 | Jeff Heuerman | Ohio State | 6'5" | 254 | Sr | 105 |
| 5 | Tyler Kroft | Rutgers | 6'5" | 246 | rJr | 124 |
| 6 | Ben Koyack | Notre Dame | 6'5" | 255 | Sr | 136 |
| 7 | E.J. Bibbs | Iowa State | 6'2" | 258 | Sr | 152 |
| 8 | Randall Telfer | USC | 6'4" | 250 | rSr | 156 |
| 9 | Nick O'Leary | Florida State | 6'3" | 252 | Sr | 171 |
| 10 | Jesse James | Penn State | 6'7" | 261 | Jr | 173 |
| 11 | Gerald Christian | Louisville | 6'3" | 244 | rSr | 176 |
| 12 | Nick Boyle | Delaware | 6'4" | 268 | Sr | 194 |
| 13 | Jean Sifrin | UMass | 6'5" | 255 | Jr | 197 |
| 14 | Wes Saxton | South Alabama | 6'3" | 248 | Sr | 215 |
| 15 | MyCole Pruitt | Southern Illinois | 6'2" | 251 | rSr | 218 |
| 16 | C.J. Uzomah | Auburn | 6'4" | 264 | Sr | 219 |
| 17 | Rory Anderson | South Carolina | 6'5" | 244 | Sr | 277 |
| 18 | Eric Tomlinson | UTEP | 6'6" | 263 | rSr | 286 |
| 19 | Cameron Clear | Texas A&M | 6'5" | 277 | Sr | 297 |
Tackles
7 of 15
Iowa's Brandon Scherff moves to guard on the rankings, and that means there is no tackle ranked inside the top 15. That's a stark contrast to the past three drafts and bad news for teams drafting early with offensive line issues.
La'el Collins has the best film of the group, and he's versatile enough to play right tackle, guard or left tackle. I've been impressed with his athleticism in drills at the Senior Bowl and combine, in part because he's dropped weight (listed at 321 lbs in-season, down to 305 lbs in Indianapolis).
D.J. Humphries is the real sleeper here. As I've written in the past, he shot up my board after gaining access to Florida film. He's gone up even more after I talked to coaches at the combine and finished my tape study on him.
| Rank | Player | School | HT | WT | Class | OVR Rank |
| 1 | La'el Collins | LSU | 6'5" | 305 | Sr | 18 |
| 2 | Cedric Ogbuehi | Texas A&M | 6'5" | 306 | rSr | 22 |
| 3 | D.J. Humphries | Florida | 6'5" | 307 | Jr | 23 |
| 4 | Jake Fisher | Oregon | 6'6 | 306 | Sr | 34 |
| 5 | Andrus Peat | Stanford | 6'7" | 313 | Jr | 38 |
| 6 | T.J. Clemmings | Pitt | 6'5" | 309 | rSr | 39 |
| 7 | Ereck Flowers | Miami (Fla.) | 6'6" | 329 | Jr | 45 |
| 8 | Donovan Smith | Penn State | 6'6" | 338 | Jr | 65 |
| 9 | Jeremiah Poutasi | Utah | 6'5" | 335 | Jr | 80 |
| 10 | Tyrus Thompson | Oklahoma | 6'5" | 324 | rSr | 82 |
| 11 | Rob Havenstein | Wisconsin | 6'7" | 321 | rSr | 96 |
| 12 | Daryl Williams | Oklahoma | 6'5" | 327 | rSr | 102 |
| 13 | Ty Sambrailo | Colorado State | 6'6" | 311 | rSr | 113 |
| 14 | Corey Robinson | South Carolina | 6'7" | 324 | rSr | 129 |
| 15 | Sean Hickey | Syracuse | 6'5" | 309 | rSr | 187 |
| 16 | Robert Myers | Tennessee State | 6'5" | 326 | rSr | 196 |
| 17 | Andrew Donnal | Iowa | 6'6" | 313 | rSr | 223 |
| 18 | Austin Shepherd | Alabama | 6'4" | 315 | Sr | 231 |
| 19 | Mitch Morse | Missouri | 6'5" | 305 | rSr | 242 |
| 20 | Jamon Brown | Louisville | 6'4" | 323 | Sr | 267 |
| 21 | Brett Boyko | UNLV | 6'7" | 301 | Sr | 279 |
| 22 | Trenton Brown | Florida | 6'8" | 355 | Sr | 294 |
| 23 | Tayo Fabuluje | TCU | 6'6" | 353 | Sr | 295 |
Guards
8 of 15
The addition of Brandon Scherff gives the guard class a huge boost, and it's likely we'll see him drafted as the first lineman in this class overall. His versatility means he may play tackle in the NFL, but I see his best fit at guard.
Ali Marpet has gone from sleeper midseason to a stud at the Senior Bowl and combine. Folks are taking notice there, and his stock is seeing a nice rise. The same goes for Jamil Douglas, a smooth mover I liked a lot in Mobile and on film when rewatching his pass protection.
| Rank | Player | School | HT | WT | Class | OVR Rank |
| 1 | Brandon Scherff | Iowa | 6'5" | 319 | rSr | 8 |
| 2 | A.J. Cann | South Carolina | 6'3" | 313 | rSr | 86 |
| 3 | Laken Tomlinson | Duke | 6'3" | 323 | rSr | 93 |
| 4 | Ali Marpet | Hobart | 6'4" | 307 | Sr | 117 |
| 5 | Josue Matias | Florida State | 6'5" | 309 | Sr | 123 |
| 6 | Jamil Douglas | Arizona State | 6'4" | 304 | rSr | 140 |
| 7 | Tre' Jackson | Florida State | 6'4" | 330 | Sr | 148 |
| 8 | Jarvis Harrison | Texas A&M | 6'3" | 330 | rSr | 150 |
| 9 | John Miller | Louisville | 6'2" | 303 | Sr | 163 |
| 10 | Shaq Mason | Georgia Tech | 6'1" | 300 | Sr | 180 |
| 11 | Adam Shead | Oklahoma | 6'4" | 338 | rSr | 198 |
| 12 | Miles Dieffenbach | Penn State | 6'3" | 303 | rSr | 206 |
| 13 | Christian Lombard | Notre Dame | 6'5" | 315 | rSr | 207 |
| 14 | Arie Kouandjio | Alabama | 6'5" | 310 | rSr | 209 |
| 15 | Aundrey Walker | USC | 6'6" | 318 | Sr | 217 |
| 16 | Ben Beckwith | Miss. State | 6'3" | 308 | rSr | 268 |
| 17 | Jon Feliciano | Miami (Fla.) | 6'4" | 323 | rSr | 273 |
| 18 | Leon Brown | Alabama | 6'6" | 320 | Sr | 276 |
| 19 | Mark Glowinski | West Virginia | 6'4" | 307 | rSr | 299 |
Centers
9 of 15
The move from left tackle to center has made Cameron Erving money this year. The Florida State lineman could sneak into the late first round due to needs at the position and his strong showing snapping this fall. He also offers versatility to play guard or tackle.
This isn't an overly strong or deep center class, but Reese Dismukes and Hroniss Grasu have talent; the big question mark is how they'll transition to NFL-style offenses after playing in spread schemes in college.
| Rank | Player | School | HT | WT | Class | OVR Rank |
| 1 | Cameron Erving | Florida State | 6'5" | 313 | rSr | 44 |
| 2 | Reese Dismukes | Auburn | 6'3" | 296 | Sr | 111 |
| 3 | Hroniss Grasu | Oregon | 6'3" | 297 | rSr | 115 |
| 4 | Andy Gallik | Boston College | 6'2" | 306 | rSr | 145 |
| 5 | Greg Mancz | Toledo | 6'4" | 301 | rSr | 205 |
| 6 | B.J. Finney | Kansas State | 6'4" | 318 | rSr | 239 |
| 7 | Max Garcia | Florida | 6'4" | 309 | Sr | 275 |
Edge-Rushers
10 of 15
The Year of the Edge-Rusher. That's the 2015 class. It wouldn't be a surprise to see four of the players ranked below drafted in the top 10. Heck, five wouldn't be a great surprise in the top 12.
We've known all year long about these players and the top names, so the combine didn't do a ton to change things up here. Vic Beasley was impressive, though, and his ranking could be on the move if you buy into the idea that he can play at the 246 pounds at which he weighed in. Beasley was weighed at 220 pounds last spring, so it's a major change for him.
Dante Fowler jumps Randy Gregory for me, but it's a small move overall and reflects the comfort I have with Fowler being a better day one player in the NFL, whereas Gregory is more of an upside guy.
| Rank | Player | School | HT | WT | Class | OVR Rank |
| 1 | Dante Fowler Jr. | Florida | 6'3" | 261 | Jr | 5 |
| 2 | Randy Gregory | Nebraska | 6'5" | 235 | rJr | 6 |
| 3 | Shane Ray | Missouri | 6'3" | 245 | rJr | 11 |
| 4 | Alvin Dupree | Kentucky | 6'4" | 269 | rSr | 19 |
| 5 | Vic Beasley | Clemson | 6'3" | 246 | rSr | 21 |
| 6 | Eli Harold | Virginia | 6'3" | 247 | Jr | 24 |
| 7 | Owa Odighizuwa | UCLA | 6'3" | 267 | rSr | 33 |
| 8 | Danielle Hunter | LSU | 6'5" | 252 | Sr | 46 |
| 9 | Nate Orchard | Utah | 6'3" | 250 | Sr | 52 |
| 10 | Lorenzo Mauldin | Louisville | 6'4" | 259 | Sr | 72 |
| 11 | Trey Flowers | Arkansas | 6'2" | 266 | Sr | 73 |
| 12 | Markus Golden | Missouri | 6'2" | 260 | rSr | 78 |
| 13 | Max Valles | Virginia | 6'5" | 251 | Jr | 87 |
| 14 | Zach Hodges | Harvard | 6'2" | 250 | Sr | 110 |
| 15 | Za'Darius Smith | Kentucky | 6'4" | 274 | Sr | 121 |
| 16 | Hau'oli Kikaha | Washington | 6'2" | 253 | rSr | 138 |
| 17 | Lynden Trail | Norfolk State | 6'7" | 269 | rSr | 144 |
| 18 | Geneo Grissom | Oklahoma | 6'3" | 262 | rSr | 149 |
| 19 | Cedric Reed | Texas | 6'6" | 271 | Sr | 151 |
| 20 | Anthony Chickillo | Miami (Fla.) | 6'3" | 267 | Sr | 159 |
| 21 | Corey Crawford | Clemson | 6'5" | 270 | rSr | 172 |
| 22 | Xzavier Dickson | Alabama | 6'3" | 260 | Sr | 191 |
| 23 | J.R. Tavai | USC | 6'2" | 249 | Sr | 199 |
| 24 | B.J. Dubose | Louisville | 6'4" | 284 | Sr | 220 |
| 25 | Frank Clark | Michigan | 6'3" | 271 | Sr | 222 |
| 26 | Kyle Emanuel | North Dakota St. | 6'3" | 255 | rSr | 232 |
| 27 | Davis Tull | Chattanooga | 6'2" | 246 | Sr | 241 |
| 28 | Shaquille Riddick | West Virginia | 6'5" | 242 | Sr | 248 |
| 29 | Martin Ifedi | Memphis | 6'3" | 276 | rSr | 257 |
| 30 | Edmond Robinson | Newberry | 6'3" | 245 | Sr | 290 |
Defensive Linemen
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The war daddies in the middle of the defensive line are big, fast, versatile and strong this year. You could make a good case for Leonard Williams as the best defensive tackle prospect since Ndamukong Suh, and were it not for a massive need at quarterback in Tampa Bay, he could be a first-pick candidate.
Danny Shelton, Malcom Brown and Eddie Goldman may not rack up impressive stats, but all three are disruptors and offer day one starting traits. Shelton, in particular, is a rare nose tackle prospect.
| Rank | Player | School | HT | WT | Class | OVR Rank |
| 1 | Leonard Williams | USC | 6'5" | 302 | Jr | 2 |
| 2 | Danny Shelton | Washington | 6'2" | 339 | Sr | 10 |
| 3 | Malcom Brown | Texas | 6'2" | 319 | Jr | 14 |
| 4 | Arik Armstead | Oregon | 6'7" | 292 | Jr | 17 |
| 5 | Eddie Goldman | Florida State | 6'4" | 336 | Jr | 30 |
| 6 | Carl Davis | Iowa | 6'5" | 320 | rSr | 51 |
| 7 | Michael Bennett | Ohio State | 6'2" | 292 | Sr | 55 |
| 8 | Preston Smith | Miss. State | 6'5" | 271 | Sr | 59 |
| 9 | Darius Philon | Arkansas | 6'1" | 298 | rSo | 63 |
| 10 | Jordan Phillips | Oklahoma | 6'5" | 329 | rSo | 64 |
| 11 | Xavier Cooper | Washington State | 6'3" | 293 | Jr | 68 |
| 12 | Henry Anderson | Stanford | 6'6" | 295 | rSr | 69 |
| 13 | Ellis McCarthy | UCLA | 6'5" | 338 | Jr | 75 |
| 14 | Gabe Wright | Auburn | 6'3" | 300 | Sr | 92 |
| 15 | Rakeem Nunez-Roches | Southern Miss | 6'2" | 307 | rJr | 107 |
| 16 | Mario Edwards | Florida State | 6'3" | 279 | Jr | 108 |
| 17 | Christian Covington | Rice | 6'2" | 289 | rJr | 116 |
| 18 | Grady Jarrett | Clemson | 6'1" | 304 | Sr | 133 |
| 19 | Tyeler Davison | Fresno State | 6'2" | 316 | rSr | 134 |
| 20 | Louis Trinca-Pasat | Iowa | 6'1" | 290 | rSr | 154 |
| 21 | Leon Orr | Florida | 6'5" | 323 | rSr | 159 |
| 22 | Joey Mbu | Houston | 6'3" | 313 | Sr | 162 |
| 23 | Travis Raciti | San Jose State | 6'5" | 290 | rSr | 178 |
| 24 | Marcus Hardison | Arizona State | 6'4" | 307 | Sr | 179 |
| 25 | Bobby Richardson | Indiana | 6'3" | 282 | Sr | 181 |
| 26 | Derrick Lott | Chattanooga | 6'4" | 314 | rSr | 200 |
| 27 | J.T. Surratt | South Carolina | 6'1" | 304 | rSr | 203 |
| 28 | Kaleb Eulls | Miss. State | 6'3" | 295 | rSr | 226 |
| 29 | Angelo Blackson | Auburn | 6'4" | 318 | Sr | 259 |
| 30 | David Parry | Stanford | 6'1" | 308 | rSr | 263 |
| 31 | Deon Simon | Northwestern State | 6'4" | 321 | Sr | 280 |
| 32 | Leterrius Watson | Central Michigan | 6'5" | 319 | rSr | 283 |
Linebackers
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Linebackers are now one position, so many of these players are inside or outside linebackers at the next level. Some, like Benardrick McKinney, Eric Kendricks and Paul Dawson, could play inside or outside linebacker in a 4-3 scheme. That graying of the positional classifications makes it easier to list them all in one spot.
Shaq Thompson may look and run like a safety, but he's adamant that he's a linebacker—he told us so at his combine press conference. He might just be another Deone Bucannon—a player who plays both linebacker and safety and is the defense's answer to the flex tight end.
| Rank | Player | School | HT | WT | Class | OVR Rank |
| 1 | Shaq Thompson | Washington | 6'0" | 228 | Jr | 16 |
| 2 | Benardrick McKinney | Miss. State | 6'4" | 246 | rJr | 31 |
| 3 | Eric Kendricks | UCLA | 6'0" | 232 | rSr | 36 |
| 4 | Paul Dawson | TCU | 6'0" | 235 | Sr | 41 |
| 5 | Denzel Perryman | Miami (Fla.) | 5'11" | 236 | Sr | 48 |
| 6 | Stephone Anthony | Clemson | 6'3" | 243 | Sr | 66 |
| 7 | Jordan Hicks | Texas | 6'1" | 236 | rSr | 67 |
| 8 | Kwon Alexander | LSU | 6'1" | 227 | Jr | 88 |
| 9 | Martrell Spaight | Arkansas | 6'0" | 236 | Sr | 130 |
| 10 | Mike Hull | Penn State | 6'0" | 237 | rSr | 135 |
| 11 | Hayes Pullard | USC | 6'0" | 240 | rSr | 142 |
| 12 | Ramik Wilson | Georgia | 6'2" | 237 | Sr | 157 |
| 13 | Tony Washington | Oregon | 6'4" | 247 | rSr | 175 |
| 14 | Ben Heeney | Kansas | 6'0" | 231 | Sr | 185 |
| 15 | Bryce Hager | Baylor | 6'1" | 234 | rSr | 190 |
| 16 | Trey DePriest | Alabama | 6'0" | 254 | rSr | 211 |
| 17 | Jake Ryan | Michigan | 6'2" | 240 | rSr | 212 |
| 18 | Aaron Davis | Colorado State | 6'0" | 225 | Sr | 214 |
| 19 | Damien Wilson | Minnesota | 6'0" | 245 | Sr | 228 |
| 20 | Amarlo Herrera | Georgia | 6'1" | 244 | Sr | 236 |
| 21 | Alani Fua | BYU | 6'5" | 238 | rSr | 258 |
| 22 | Taiwan Jones | Michigan State | 6'3" | 245 | Sr | 285 |
| 23 | Mark Nzeocha | Wyoming | 6'2" | 232 | Sr | 292 |
Cornerbacks
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The playmakers of the 2015 defensive class don't feature a high-profile player, although Marcus Peters would likely be one if he had finished the season at Washington. Instead, we're looking at a very solid class, with some separation at the top, but largely just a good group of around 15 cornerbacks who have skill sets to start early.
Peters headlines the group, but Florida State's Ronald Darby has jumped up my board thanks to more film study and a very good combine workout. Darby was avoided by opposing offenses and plays with confidence, patience and pure speed. He's a treat to watch in coverage.
Trae Waynes blew up the combine with a 4.31 in the 40-yard dash, but I'm still worried about his transition skills and how well he can cover in the NFL without using his hands. The big riser is Byron Jones, a player who dang-near jumped out of Lucas Oil Stadium with a 12'3" broad jump.
| Rank | Player | School | HT | WT | Class | OVR Rank |
| 1 | Marcus Peters | Washington | 6'0" | 197 | rJr | 12 |
| 2 | Jalen Collins | LSU | 6'1" | 203 | rJr | 25 |
| 3 | Ronald Darby | Florida State | 5'11" | 193 | Jr | 26 |
| 4 | Trae Waynes | Michigan State | 6'0" | 186 | rJr | 29 |
| 5 | P.J. Williams | Florida State | 6'0" | 194 | Jr | 35 |
| 6 | Alex Carter | Stanford | 6'0" | 196 | rJr | 53 |
| 7 | Quinten Rollins | Miami (OH) | 5'11" | 195 | rSr | 56 |
| 8 | Kevin Johnson | Wake Forest | 6'0" | 188 | rSr | 58 |
| 9 | Byron Jones | UConn | 6'1" | 199 | rSr | 62 |
| 10 | Jacoby Glenn | Central Florida | 6'0" | 179 | rSo | 74 |
| 11 | Charles Gaines | Louisville | 5'10" | 180 | rJr | 76 |
| 12 | Lorenzo Doss | Tulane | 5'10" | 182 | Jr | 77 |
| 13 | Quandre Diggs | Texas | 5'9" | 196 | Sr | 81 |
| 14 | Steven Nelson | Oregon State | 5'9" | 183 | Sr | 85 |
| 15 | Senquez Golson | Ole Miss | 5'9" | 176 | Sr | 97 |
| 16 | Kevin White | TCU | 5'9" | 183 | rSr | 103 |
| 17 | D'Joun Smith | FAU | 5'10" | 187 | Sr | 118 |
| 18 | Doran Grant | Ohio State | 5'10" | 200 | Sr | 120 |
| 19 | Eric Rowe | Utah | 6'1" | 205 | Sr | 126 |
| 20 | Ladarius Gunter | Miami (Fla.) | 6'1" | 202 | rSr | 128 |
| 21 | Ifo Ekpre-Olomu | Oregon | 5'9" | 192 | Sr | 131 |
| 22 | JaCorey Shepherd | Kansas | 5'11" | 199 | Sr | 146 |
| 23 | Imoan Claiborne | Northwestern St. | 5'10" | 187 | rSr | 167 |
| 24 | A.J. Jefferson | UCLA | 6'1" | 198 | rSr | 177 |
| 25 | Cody Riggs | Notre Dame | 5'9" | 190 | rSr | 193 |
| 26 | Damian Swann | Georgia | 6'0" | 189 | Sr | 224 |
| 27 | Justin Coleman | Tennessee | 5'11" | 185 | Sr | 230 |
| 28 | Nick Marshall | Auburn | 6'1" | 207 | Sr | 238 |
| 29 | Julian Wilson | Oklahoma | 6'2" | 205 | rSr | 246 |
| 30 | Craig Mager | Texas State | 5'11" | 201 | rSr | 264 |
| 31 | Bobby McCain | Memphis | 5'9" | 195 | Sr | 269 |
| 32 | Tye Smith | Towson | 6'0" | 195 | Sr | 270 |
| 33 | Donald Celiscar | Western Michigan | 5'11" | 194 | Sr | 274 |
| 34 | Garry Peters | Clemson | 6'0" | 191 | rSr | 296 |
| 35 | Cam Thomas | Western Kentucky | 6'1" | 190 | rSr | 298 |
Free Safeties
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If you are looking for a game-changer at free safety this year, good luck. There is no sure thing among this class, and in general, safety play seems to be on the decline in college football.
Gerod Holliman had a ridiculous 14 interceptions in 2014 but doesn't show up on film as a tackler, something he'll definitely be asked about in interviews with teams. His range, athleticism and ball skills are impressive, though. He could be the player teams bite on.
I liked Damarious Randall a lot at the Senior Bowl, and he had a good showing at the combine, which means his stock continues to climb.
| Rank | Player | School | HT | WT | Class | OVR Rank |
| 1 | Gerod Holliman | Louisville | 6'0" | 218 | rSo | 43 |
| 2 | Damarious Randall | Arizona State | 5'11" | 196 | rSr | 79 |
| 3 | Durell Eskridge | Syracuse | 6'3" | 208 | rJr | 90 |
| 4 | Derron Smith | Fresno State | 5'10" | 200 | Sr | 95 |
| 5 | Josh Shaw | USC | 6'1" | 201 | rSr | 106 |
| 6 | Cody Prewitt | Ole Miss | 6'2" | 208 | Sr | 112 |
| 7 | Kurtis Drummond | Michigan State | 6'1" | 208 | rSr | 119 |
| 8 | Jermaine Whitehead | Auburn | 5'11" | 197 | Sr | 225 |
| 9 | Justin Cox | Miss. State | 6'1" | 191 | Sr | 266 |
| 10 | Dean Marlowe | James Madison | 6'1" | 203 | Sr | 291 |
Strong Safeties
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Landon Collins answered the call at the combine, running a 4.53 in the 40-yard dash at 228 pounds and silencing some critics who felt he was too slow for the position. Collins remains head-and-shoulders over the rest of the safety group, and he may be the only strong safety drafted in the first three rounds.
| Rank | Player | School | HT | WT | Class | OVR Rank |
| 1 | Landon Collins | Alabama | 6'0" | 228 | Jr | 15 |
| 2 | Chris Hackett | TCU | 6'0" | 195 | Jr | 114 |
| 3 | Jaquiski Tartt | Samford | 6'1" | 221 | rSr | 125 |
| 4 | Anthony Harris | Virginia | 6'1" | 183 | Sr | 132 |
| 5 | Jordan Richards | Stanford | 5'11" | 211 | Sr | 160 |
| 6 | Ibraheim Campbell | Northwestern | 5'11" | 208 | rSr | 161 |
| 7 | James Sample | Louisville | 6'2" | 209 | Sr | 170 |
| 8 | Adrian Amos | Penn State | 6'0" | 218 | rSr | 186 |
| 9 | Kyshoen Jarrett | Virginia Tech | 5'10" | 200 | Sr | 204 |
| 10 | Clayton Geathers | UCF | 6'2" | 218 | rSr | 237 |
| 11 | Tevin McDonald | Eastern Wash. | 5'11" | 195 | rSr | 271 |
| 12 | Ronald Martin | LSU | 6'1" | 220 | Sr | 293 |
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